Here's an Alcort ad from the late 1950s. Alcort had the best ads and they were very smart in setting up dealerships across the country. This ad appeared out on the West coast, where it is a challenge to find warm waters suitable for a Sailfish. One interesting note is that early on the folks having fun in the Alcort ads were company employees. And we can testify that the sailing techniques used in this photo are one way to keep a Sailfish upright. Note that there is very little wind.
It is said that the Sailfish is "the boat you learn to swim on."
Pixy was extremely helpful in assembling his cat tree.
But first, swim qual...
I was supervised the entire time. The hardware for assembling the tree is located, you guessed it, under the cat in the little cat bed. I was distracted by my assistant and began assembly from the bottom up, when it clearly shows in the instructions to assemble from the top down. CRM skills of planning and inquiry were not evident with this crew.
Non-destructive testing of the rigging.
He especially liked the crow's nest. I installed that while he was still sitting in it. It screws on, so he took a turn, or about 15 turns.
Pixy was sure that I didn't tighten on of the screws enough, so he lended a paw to help...on both hands.
"Barbashela" sees light for the first time since just after Hurricane Katrina.
Skipper checking for fair curves on "Barbashela".
Wrapping up the rest of the parts on "Barbashela" she still has the three seat thwarts!
Used all the tie downs, duct tape, plastic wrap and a few lines for the road trip. "Barbashela" made it up to 70mph, but she probably blew 145 plus in Hurricane Katrina.
Water view for the next few months.
Hey, stop drinking coffee and start scraping! "Barbashela" hanging out with her newest friends.
"Barbashela" has at least half of everything except for the forward 4 feet of bow planking, the stem, breasthook and forward seat.
I'm teaching the Aviation 254 Crew Resource Management (CRM) class this semester, it's cutting into my mess about time, but I am enjoying working with tomorrow's aviation professionals. Here's a comparison of core CRM skills used by several organizations, including the US Navy.
These same skills get put to use whether heading out single-handed or when the Skipper presses me into service on one of her Armada boats.
The future for aviation, and other high reliability organizations, is being worked on by NASA, using AI and large language models to take oceans of data and turn it into timely, accurate and reliable intel that is actionable.
10 years ago we were building a stretcher to carry a damaged river yawl from her Mississippi home to our our Florida place. We made a special trip into Pensacola to twenty foot long 2x6 lumber, to provide a base for a stable platform.
28 Jan 16: Picking up lumber at Building Supply Center to build a BARBASHELA transport cradle. We will graft it to our Daysailer trailer, and the weight/ride will balance out nicely. The 2x6x20s and plywood will also be used to build the jig. They also have some great spruce and Douglas fir. George helped me select the lumber, nice to have a 40 year employee and 100 Ton Master interested in our project!
2x6 20 footers strapped to frame and screwed to bunks as well. Then plywood was screwed into the 2x6s and bunks. Overall length of the deck will be 20 feet.
The severely damaged skiff would not ride on a regular trailer, so we built it a stretcher.
Since 2018 we've authored 90 or so articles for WoodenBoat and Small Boats Nation (Formerly Small Boats Magazine), a digital publication of WoodenBoat. Along the way we got hats for Launchings, Relaunchings and 2 of these! Mine is faded and worn and Skipper's looks brand new.
We just finished a gear article for February on Columbia Ridgeline convertible pants and have a scraper article in the hopper.
We downrigged CYANE in prep for her homeport change, here's a few photos of what had to happen along the way, mostly for us to reference when we put her back together.
The first thing to do is hook up a tow vehicle, so the trailer will not tip the boat on her stern when working near the transom. Ask me how we learned about this :)
But first, a look at the little pads we made to support an outboard motor, they prevent gouges in the gelcoat and spread the outboard clamp pressure out over a larger area. The pads are 1/4 inch marine grade plywood, attached with double sided tape.
There is no set order to downrigging, we tend to start at one end of the rig (stern) and work forward.
First thing to do is get the mainsail and boom off of the mast. The mainsheet rigging is 2:1 how Capn Jack had it, a block with a becket attached to the boom and another block attached to a bridle on the transom. We release the mainsheet and usually leave it attached to the becket block.
Next we wandered forward and undid the sail cover so we could get to the various lines.
Here is the cleat for the topping lift. The topping lift helps keep the boom out of the cockpit when the main is down.
Capn Jack put a quick release snap shackle on the forward end of the boom vang.
The downhaul is released.
Mainsheet gets released.
Mainsheet released and tied. The boom now swings free.
The topping lift shackle gets released next. The other lines there are a sail cover tie and the outhaul.
Main halyard gets released. And then it is time to remove the boom and sail. (Editor's note: I never paid any attention to the "headboard" on this sail, it adds sail area. The sail for the Bahamas Dinghy we are working on has a similar feature.)
Time to tackle the main halyard, spinnaker halyard and spare jib halyard (the one we use if we don't rig roller furling jib.) We should label these like Webb does, and add a third cleat. Wow, Skipper's boat sure is dirty, it appears that the opsrey likes sitting on the top of the mast...she needs to get out here and clean this up.
Forward tabernacle pin keeper ring is released.
Furler line gets released and pulled up to the furler.
Side stays loosened.
Furler line tied up.
Remove jib furler pin keeper ring. Go find Skipper, who will control the jib stay while the mast is lowered. If lowering the mast single handed, the jib stay can be released at this time, and line attached to the jib stay that runs through a block attached to the little shackle, and run back to the cockpit. That line can be cleated off over the cuddy until time to release the tabernacle pin.
Here's a video of raising the mast using the line.
Capn Jack made this nice mast crutch.
Time to release the jibstay pin and forward mast tabernacle pin and lower the mast. We had already lowered it partway here, then put the mast back up for glamor shots. Skipper walked the jib back while I lowered the mast.
Next up, we release the upper jib furler drum for long road trips. For short trips we leave the jib attached.
Capn Jack's diddy bag.
Mast is slid forward as far as you like, keeping in mind clearance of the tow vehicle hatch. We wrap old hand towels around the mast at the crutch and over the tabernacle for padding, and cushion the base of the mast where it may contact the tow vehicle hatch. We also tie everything down, including the side stays and pad where needed to prevent metal from rubbing on the deck. The boom tent also works as a storage cover, but we will not trailer with that attached. For long trips we remove the main from the boom and stow the boom poking out of the cuddy, with the mainsheet tucked into the lazarette. Last thing to do is check the trailer lights, CYANE's trailer is set up with LED lights on the trailer and the trailer guides. More info on those great LED lights upcoming in the Feb 2021 issue of Small Boats Magazine.
Check bearings, tires, safety chains, coupler lock and hit the road. Tires should be less than 6 years old, more info about how to check and why in our Small Boats Magazine article June 2018.
